CHURACHANDPUR, March 17: The first and only recreational cum ZO and tribal cultural museum run by the Zogam Art and Cultural Development Association inaugurated its third section today.
The museum is located in the heart of Lamka Town in Churachandpur district.
The section has a park titled Zogam Tribal Memorial Park and a skating ring for the children.
The inaugural function was attended by ADC Churachandpur chairman Langkhanpau Guite as the chief guest.
In his welcoming address, ZACDA chairman Dongzakai, who is the chief of the town said that the initiative of opening the museum was to preserve the tools used by the Zo descendants. Dingzakai Gangte had started it all about two decades back. The museum has now five staff.
He said the initiative is very demanding in terms of physical and monetary aspects and further urged the chief guest and all others to contribute for the development of his initiative not necessarily financially, but also in many other ways.
The inaugural was followed by traditional and customary songs by a cultural troop of the Zogam Tribal Museum.
The chief guest in his speech lauded the effort of the association’s chairman in showcasing different forms of tools, literature and implements in his museum and further promised that he will do his best to help.
He further presented two big plastic dustbins for the museum.
He said “We are proud to have a man who is the first to think of such rare innovative ideas.”
“This is a boon for all of us as without his effort in making the museum a success, we all, including myself would have forgotten the factual picture and names of our cultural and traditional practices and customs,” the chief guest said referring to the man behind all the development Dingzakai Gangte.
He said our past and traditional values are stored and preserved here, so let’s work together so that every hurdle for improving this unique and all important effort will be overcome.
Langkhanpau Guite further wished for God to help Dongzakai in his endeavour.
The ZACDA was run as a private initiative of Dongzakai and has been attracting as many as 50 visitors in a day. The museum had however, remained closed since the present situation started in Churachandpur.
The museum has now three sections apart from different sections with different galleries including for pictures depicting Zo tribal houses and tribal household items.
It has also catalogues of different bibles of different dialects of the Zo, a telescope used by Walking W Robert the first missionary to arrive in the area, pictures and tools depicting fightings among the different Zo communities in the past, among others.
Another interesting showcase is the leather cannon used during the time of Thadou-Gal/ Zo Gal.
A collection of ancient and present currencies including coins are also displayed in the Museum’s Gallery. For the children too, a section “children section” is also provided inside the Museum.
Different types of gongs used by the tribal and different kinds of earthen pots are also showcased in the museum.
There is also a depiction of the Churachandpur Town in 1960 and memorial stones of some of the founders of the Lamka Town including that of (L) Thanzam Gangte.
